Are you expecting a slew of revolutionary new products from Apple in 2011? Well, rest assured that Steve Jobs will continue to dazzle us with sexy new iterations of the Mac, iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.
However, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster believes that the Apple faithful will have to wait at least another year for Cupertino to launch any actual *new* product categories.
Indeed, according to Munster, Steve Jobs is likely to debut a CDMA iPhone in March 2011, along with fifth-gen iPhone boasting near-field communication technology in the summer.
Munster also projects that Apple will launch a new iPod touch offering e-wallet-style capabilities in 2011, as well as cloud-based iTunes streaming services.
But what about a second-gen iPad?
Well, Munster says a new iPad could hit the streets in spring 2011, and may even offer various subsidy options from wireless carriers.
Other major product launches slated for 2011 include:
- Mac App Store – January.
- OS X 10.7 Lion – Summer.
- MacBook Pro refresh – First half 2011.
- Redesigned iMacs – Second half of 2011.
So, what’s in store for 2012 and beyond?
Fortunately, the Piper Jaffray analyst predicts that Apple will announce its long-awaited Internet-connected television set in the next 2-4 years.
“While Apple’s commitment to the living room remains a ‘hobby,’ we continue to believe the company will enter the TV market with a full focus, as an all-in-one Apple television could move the needle when connected TVs proliferate,” Munster explained in an industry note obtained by AppleInsider.
“Moreover, in terms of markets that would be entirely new categories for Apple and could move the needle, we believe the television market makes the most sense.” [[iPad]]
